Parashat Vayikra: Sacrifice in the Times of Isolation

This week’s parashah/portion is Vayikra (Leviticus 1:1- 5:26) In this Torah portion, the first in the book of Vayikra/Leviticus, we read the descriptions of the laws of animal sacrifice. God explains to Moses the different sacrifices that atone for guilt or sins, and distinguishes between sins committed inadvertently and sins committed on purpose.

It would be easy to disregard this portion, as all animal sacrifices ended with the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 CE. However, in reading the parashah I found two topics that can be meaningful for us today, especially during the current time of physical isolation. The first was the meaning of sacrifice and how it connects with prayer today. The second is the concept of different types of sacrufices for intentional and inadvertent sins.

After the destruction of the Temple the Jewish people relied on prayer instead of sacrifice. According to Maimonides (12th century Spain) in his philosophical treatise Guide for the Perplexed, sacrifices were merely an early form of worship that were given to our ancestors in order to teach them about serving God. Since the other nations around them used sacrifices in order to serve their gods, it only made sense that the fledgling religious community would also use animal sacrifices. Sacrifices began during the years in the desert under the leadership of Moses and Aaron, which is what we read of in the Torah. However, Maimonides, and most of his rabbinic predecessors, believed that sacrifices were inferior to prayer, because prayer was something which can be offered by every person and in every place. Prayer does not require a priestly intermediary, nor does it require a Temple in Jerusalem or elsewhere.

However, the 20th century theologian Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel disagreed with Maimonides on this matter. Heschel stated in Man’s Quest for God: Studies in Prayer and Symbolism that “prayer is not a substitute for sacrifice. Prayer is sacrifice.”  He believed that in prayer “we try to surrender our vanities, to burn our insolence, to abandon bias, dishonesty, envy.” In other words, we sacrifice our selfishness and self-centeredness so that we can connect instead with the divine qualities of truth, mercy, and love within us. 

Though he would agree that prayer is open to all and universal, as did Maimonides, the fact that he viewed it as an actual form of sacrifice and not a substitute for sacrifice makes it more powerful and more sacred. It may seem like a minor distinction, but it’s not. Rather, it is the difference between whether we are actually performing an act or simply acting “as if.”

The parashah also focuses on different types of “sin offerings.” One offering, the olah, was meant to seek forgiveness for sinful thoughts and intentions, even if they were not carried out, according to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in 1st century Palestine. 

Another type of offering, the chatat, was meant for those who committed a sin unintentionally. An example would be if a farmer accidentally harvested the crops in the corners of their fields rather than leaving the corners for the poor, as the Torah commanded.  

The final sin offering is the asham, usually translated as guilt offering. This sacrifice was an atonement for specific intentional sins, such as withholding evidence from the court by refusing to be a witness, not keeping an oath that was made, or dealing falsely with another person in matters of pledges, theft, unfair treatment or lost articles.

Sitting here in isolation, one might wonder how any of this relates to us. To begin with, I believe that Heschel’s understanding of prayer is especially meaningful for us today, since our prayers are an actual form of sacrifice. That means that, through prayer (and I would add meditation and other spiritual practices), we are truly giving of ourselves. This can be done whether we are home alone, living with others, or participating in an online prayer service. Furthermore, the fact that we are isolated can be seen as an opportunity to do exactly what Heschel states we should. By spending more time in prayer or meditation at home we can indeed “try to surrender our vanities, to burn our insolence, to abandon bias, dishonesty, envy.” We can use the opportunity to try and rid ourselves of selfishness and self-centeredness by reaching out to others via phone, Zoom, Skype, or any other means. Of course, we can also sit at home and wallow in despair over our current state as well (which, being human, we all do at times). It’s our choice.

In terms of the sin offerings, the lesson is a little less clear. However, I think we need to focus on the first two types of sins for which we ask forgiveness. The first is sinful or harmful thoughts. The other is sinning unintentionally as a result of being mindless or not paying attention, rather than making an intentional choice to sin. This could include the sin of neglecting ourselves and neglecting others, just as I mentioned above. 

I don’t think anyone intentionally desires to be hateful or angry, nor to ignore another person. But watching news 24/7 and focusing only on the negatives of our difficult situation we could easily grow hateful, spiteful and neglectful. We could easily forget to care for ourselves or ignore those that are important in our lives.

Finally, though I have focused on the fact that prayer is available to all and can be practiced anywhere, we should also remember that certain prayers traditionally must be recited in the presence of a minyan. A minyan is a quorum of at least ten adults. This is the minimal number that constitutes a community.

Our ancestors never imagined that people would be asking whether or not ten people who are online together can be considered a community, and there are various current rabbinic opinions on this. However, whether or not it is “technically” a minyan, connecting with others online is the one way we can create community in these days of social isolation.  

So as we are at home for however long it might be, even if prayer is not your regular practice, it is essential that we each find a way to to give of ourselves not only through individual prayer or spiritual practice, but as part of a community. Find a virtual prayer or meditation opportunity, an online chat, or some other way to connect with others and to give of yourself to others..  If we don’t, our physical isolation will become spiritual isolation, and that is something that is ultimately harmful to ourselves, our communities and our world.

Shabbat Shalom.